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A Case Study of Narrative Family Therapy in an Outdoor Treatment Program with a Struggling Adolescent

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Book cover Family Therapy with Adolescents in Residential Treatment

Part of the book series: Focused Issues in Family Therapy ((FIFT))

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Abstract

Adolescent mental health is a significant societal concern with 10–20% of adolescents meeting criteria for a diagnosable mental disorder. Adolescent mental health disorders are concerning as they interfere with the accomplishment of normal development and can lead to poor school performance, dropout, strained family and social relationships, involvement with the child welfare and juvenile justice system , and other disruptive behaviors . Adolescents who do not respond to traditional services are often placed in residential treatment centers or other out-of-home treatment programs. Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare (OBH) is a viable treatment option for adolescents who struggle with emotional, behavioral or substance related problems, and one which flexibly permits an integration of the family into the treatment setting. A case study illustrating how techniques from narrative can be used to accomplish this integration is presented in this chapter, offering a view of how narrative family therapy can be used to involve families in the treatment and posttreatment process in an OBH program.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Department, RedCliff Ascent, Wilderness Therapy Program, 709 E Main St., Enterprise, UT, 84725, USA

    Steven M. DeMille

  2. Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program, Northwest Christian University, 755 E 11th Ave, Eugene, OR, 97401, USA

    Marilyn J. Montgomery

Authors
  1. Steven M. DeMille
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  2. Marilyn J. Montgomery
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Correspondence to Steven M. DeMille .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Mount Mercy University , Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA

    Jacob D. Christenson

  2. Mount Mercy University, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA

    Ashley N. Merritts

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DeMille, S.M., Montgomery, M.J. (2017). A Case Study of Narrative Family Therapy in an Outdoor Treatment Program with a Struggling Adolescent. In: Christenson, J., Merritts, A. (eds) Family Therapy with Adolescents in Residential Treatment. Focused Issues in Family Therapy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51747-6_3

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